Just curious about injection molding or casting

From: Clint Wolff <vaxman_at_qwest.net>
Date: Sat Aug 25 18:01:29 2001

I'm sure this is quite possible, and even reasonable if you aren't
concerned with maintaining original-ness (Let's not EVEN go down
that path!). I suspect something like this is done in classic cars,
so you might even be able to get the apropriate plastic resins...

I don't have any systems with switchen and blinken lights, so I
haven't faced that particular problem yet, but even an off color
(white?) switch would be better than a broken one...

Clint

On Sat, 25 Aug 2001, Jay West wrote:

> Don't recall this ever coming up before. I don't need to do it with anything now, but might in the future so thought I'd solicit any ideas from the listmembers.
>
> For small plastic parts, say - switches and actuators and the like - that get broken or are missing from systems or peripherals. Is it within the realm of the home hobbiest to forge duplicate parts? For example - a switch on a DEC PC04 where you have 3 switches but are missing one. Can it easily be done to make a casting of the part in some kind of clay, then work with dyes to get the color right and pour in a plastic or resin and thus create another identical switch?
>
> I'm sure there's a lot of side issues that come up. Some parts need to be hard, some ever so slightly flexible. Others need to be a solid material, and still others would need to be somewhat opaque to let light shine through. I'm thinking of like front panel switches or light covers.
>
> Anyone ever try this route or is it silly to even attempt non-professionally?
>
> Jay West
>
>
>
Received on Sat Aug 25 2001 - 18:01:29 BST